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Throwing a fit at my breast

Advice please!
We are about 2.5 hrs into our "clusterfeed" tonight, and as usual my LO is now throwing a fit on my nipple. She started twisting and tugging it, slapping it and crying with it in her mouth. She stops sucking and starts flailing about all over it searching and screaming. I taker her off it to burp her but this just infuriates her more and she gets so out of control i have to shush and jiggle her for about a minute before she will even try to latch again on the other breast.
Anyone have any ideas why she does this? Particularly the twisting and pulling, its very painful! This is a nightly occurance, btw, and usually by about 4 hrs in and very sore nipples from all her misdeeds i end up supplementing around 2-3 oz of formula. I really dont like doing it id rather EBF.
Forgot to mention she is 5 weeks old.
TY

Re: Throwing a fit at my breast

The PP posted the links I was thinking of, too.

If the problem is just normal evenings-only fussiness/colic, here are some things you can try:
- Offering pumped milk in a bottle
- Motion- rock in a rocker, swing in a swing, ride in a stroller, walk in the baby sling, etc.
- Bath- warm water can "change the channel" on the baby's mood
- Fresh air- a walk outside can really shut down on the fussiness

Re: Throwing a fit at my breast

My guy used to do this too, at the same age. For us, it usually meant he wasn't really hungry. Using the colic hold and letting him suck our finger helped him stop. I'm not saying it's colic, I wouldn't say my baby has colic, he just needs to suck, and this was when he actually would start taking a pacifier. He'd eventually fall asleep and then when he woke for his bedtime feeding he was fine.

He is 11 weeks now, and rarely does it now...or perhaps I can just read him better? Not sure, but either way, it's much better.

Re: Throwing a fit at my breast

thanks guys. ill read up on those articles.
i think shes still hungry when she does it because when i take away my nipple she cries while sucking. i swaddled her and went to the rocking chair to feed her and that seemed to calm things.

Re: Throwing a fit at my breast

I feel everyone's pain! I am new to this thread and since yesterday,my DS has been spool fussy as soon as I place him on his side to BF! I have tried different positions...he has no temperature, is pissed off because he is hungry and I'm at my wits end...for 7 weeks, everything was fine and dandy...now it's like he can't stand the positions of being BF! It's so weird! He hasn't had a bottle sine he came home frm the hospital when he was born so I don't know what is going on...anyone have this issue too?
Thx in advance!

Re: Throwing a fit at my breast

Sometimes I just have to pump and go to the bottle. Most of the time I find that he is hungry but he is also very gassy (not burps) which seems to time itself perfectly with when it is time to eat. We do a lot of rocking and doing his little situps until he works some of it out. It is ofter very frustrating when it's bad because he is crying, but it seems to help him so he calms down and doesn't tear up my poor nipples.

Re: Throwing a fit at my breast

Ooooh, I completely feel your pain. My DS started doing the same thing about the same time...and he continued it for weeks (he's now 10 weeks). About a week and a half ago my mom (a LLL leader in the 70's) wondered if maybe he wasn't hungry, but was actually just having trouble going to sleep.

Turns out, she was totally right. I've been laying down and nursing him for a while in the evenings and it's helping. Keeping it somewhat quiet and a little dark helps, too. Way fewer moments when he's pounding on my breast. He's getting to bed earlier, and my poor nipples are much, much happier.

Maybe this will help or maybe it won't. But I hope it gets better for you soon, mama!

Re: Throwing a fit at my breast

TY
I sometimes wonder this myself. She has barely been sleeping the past few days. I didnt supp the last few nights either and im wondering if she is getting enough from me as she seems hungry almost constantly and wont sleep in the day longer than 10 mins and in the night for stretches 1.5-2hrs. maybe its an issue with not getting enough if any at all hindmilk. ive tried compressions and hot showers to try get my milk down. im not sure what else could help. she seems satisfied for 10 or so minutes than acts like she is starving again soon after. she eats for almost an hour at a time during the day.

Re: Throwing a fit at my breast

Yikes, I had the same problem, but it was only on my right side that he would get so angry. I turned out that he was not getting as much milk from that side because of clogging and the cracking that I had on that nipple (healed now). Also, he was having digestion issues. We started giving him gripe water and he is much happier.